From the Dark, a Light is Born
by darknightstalker
Summary: James Potter has been hiding a terrible secret in the dungeons under Potter Manor. When he is captured by the dark and it is revealed, new truths will come to light and an old rivalry will come to an end. Extremely dark, torture, abuse, dark wins. Wrong Boy-Who-Lived. Evil!James, Evil!sirius. Good!Malfoy's, Good!Voldemort, good!Snape, Good!Dumbledore.
1. Chapter 1

Into the Light.

Chapter 1- An Unexpected Realization

The boy trembled, huddling in the corner of his cell. His eyes were wide like saucers and so incredibly dead. Lucius could feel the fear and terror coming off him in waves.  
"It's alright little one. I won't harm you. You are safe." His voice, though calm and gentle, only served to terrify the child further. The boy backed up into a corner. Trembling violently, soft whimpers escaping his throat. Lucius ducked into the cell. It was tiny, barely able for a person stand comfortably in without being pressed against the wall. The child however made the tiny room seem like a ballroom whilst he crouched alone inside. Just more proof to the child's abuse and torture in the hands of the Light.

Three years ago, the light had fallen and Wizarding Britain was taken over by the Dark Lord. Though allowed to live peace fully and.. Well... Normally, people who rebelled were executed immediately. The Potters were full time rebels, living in hiding and training their son against the dark. James had been captured only two nights ago and in his torture he had revealed a very disturbing fact. He had kept a child imprisoned in the basements of Potter Manor since it was a baby.  
Twelve years ago the Dark Lords wife had been kidnapped when she was seven months pregnant. Three months after her body had been found dead in a gutter. The child had been placed with a family and The Dark Lord had never set his eyes on the baby. Now a child had been found, nearing its twelfth birthday. A child not even Lilly Potter knew existed. If that was not coincidence then Lucius Malfoy would turn himself in for Death Eater activity.

"Severus. In here. I found the child." He kept his voice low, but Severus had keener senses from working with potions for days on end. Severus watched the boy as he squeezed himself in behind Lucius. Severus gasped at the sight before him 'Merlin! He looks like a skeleton.' The boy was far too thin, every rib was visible through his skin and the skin itself was so pale it was near translucent. Scars covered every inch of the child's skinny frame and his wrists were rubbed raw where shackles had ones bound him. His ankles were still bound in irons and his feet were red and blistered from the cold stone beneath his bare feet. His face was hollow and gaunt, the look of a longtime Azkaban inmate. His brown hair was matted and lice infested. It's greasy locks were long, reaching to the boys thighs and would have been magnificent had it been cared for. When the boy turned his hollow face towards the Potions Master he nearly screamed. Looking into the face of Severus Snape was the Dark Lord's red eyes.  
These eyes however didn't sparkle with cold malice or light humour when around friends. What should have been a majestic (and Condescending) gaze was empty, emotionless, and lifeless. Years of pain, neglect and torture had seeped into a child's gaze and killed the light that should have been there. This child had seen and experienced horrors that even a Death Eater wouldn't be able to survive.  
"Is it him Severus? Have we found him?" Severus could only nod numbly.

The child was trembling in his corner. The terrifying yet heart wrenching whimpers had stopped and left the boy unnervingly quiet. After moments of motionless silence the child reached out to Severus, his grubby hands gripping the fabric of the cloak like a lifeline. Then his life was flashing before his eyes. Every beating and torture he had ever experienced was being unloaded into the body of the boy at his feet. Then as quickly as it had occurred, it was over and the boy lay panting and shivering at Severus's feet.  
"He's clairvoyant..." Severus whispered, his disbelief colouring his voice. Every question as to why Potter had kept the boy instead of killing him was answered.  
"That was how Potter kept finding our minor bases. He kept the clothes of the captured men and gave them to him. The boy was tortured if he didn't tell what he saw. Hell, he was probably tortured anyway." Lucius growled at the new information. The Dark Lords son had been forced to betray them. Then again it wasn't really betrayal if he didn't understand what was going on or what the information was used for.  
"Do you remember your name child?" The boy only stared blankly back at Lucius, then answered with the most heartbreaking answer a child could utter.  
"Creature."

~~~~A Light is Born~~~~~~~

The emaciated child crouched in the corner, his long hair falling in pools on the filthy, blood covered concrete floor. Severus wanted nothing more that to pick him up and comfort him but knew what would happen if he came within touching distance.  
"We have come to take you away from here child. To take you somewhere safe." Severus almost smacked Lucius as the boy cried out, his fear nearly palpable. Tears coursed down the child's grubby little face.  
"We won't hurt you, we have have come to help you dear child. Not harm you." The boy just shook his head and curled farther into himself, trembling harder. Lucius drew his wand to stupefy the boy, but the motion caused the boy to shriek in fear and remembered pain. His mouth worked, trying to beg for mercy, or death, anything, but the sound escaped him. The wand that trembled before his face brought back the images of the sneering man with cruel eyes.  
Lucius quickly cast the spell and knocked out the boy before he passed out in his panic.  
"I think that James potter wishes he were dead right now. If not, then he soon will." Severus growled in pure hatred, "the Dark Lord will not forgive him, he will never forgive him. I WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIM! HE TOOK MY DALEN! MY GODSON!" Severus raged his hatred and anger taking over his mind. Lucius winced, James Potter was never going to be given mercy for his crimes, and death was one of those mercies. Even if he escaped, his sanity would never be intact.  
It took a few hours, but the shackles that Dalen had worn were removed and destroyed. Carefully picking up the emaciated child Lucius carried him to the front entrance of the Potter Manor alone, understanding that Severus needed to see what had been done to his precious godson. He nodded curtly to the Death Eaters that had stood guard outside the wards.  
"Severus will need help searching the house, take nothing that he doesn't tell you to take. We are not on a raid. This was a rescue mission. Tell him I have gone back to the Dark Lord, and he is to join me when you are finished, bring the evidence." With that Lucius activated the portkey and vanished with a pop.

~~~~~~A Light is Born~~~~~~~  
"Death Eaters! At Potter Manor! I saw 'em with me own eyes I did!" The many people around the table gasped, Lilly Potter stood abruptly,  
"So, they have taken and most likely killed my husband, and now, the bastards raid my home and all our belongings? Haven't they taken enough?" She raged, tears dripping down her cheeks.  
"Now now everyone. We will get nowhere panicking and running around like headless chickens. I have no doubt that the Death Eaters were raiding the house, but I have yet to see a reason why they have." Aberforth Dumbledore said, his face serious.  
"Come now Ms Potter, nothing to distress about. They had orders to take nothin' without permission. The only thing that I saw removed was a child. Poor thing at that. Looked like nothin' more than a livin' skeleton. Poor thing was mostly naked and looked like he had been tortured to near death. Also heard Lucius Malfoy saying that they were on no raid, but a rescue mission." Daedalus Diggle informed them.  
"A rescue mission?" Albus Dumbledore stood in front of the gathering, his pink robes falling to the floor but his ice blue eyes were void of the usual twinkling. "Death Eaters rescued a child from Potter Manor?" At a slight nod from Diggle, Albus collapsed boneless into a chair.  
"What have you done James Potter? What in the name of merlin have you done?"  
TBC.

**A.N: So, there you go. This has been sitting in my book for quite some time now, and I finally got the first part done. Yay. So in this Voldemort discarded the prophecy and took over Wizarding Britain. Hogwarts is under his control but he left it as it was. Voldemort is still very much Tom Riddle and not insane. More on Dalen and Severus later all will be explained.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Revealing of Truths

Chapter 2: The Revealing of Truths

'Creature' woke slowly, his mind a jumbled mess. He felt the unnatural softness of the floor beneath him and almost panicked, he quietly assessed his surroundings, the hum of magic relaxing him. There was very little he remembered from the previously evening. The two men that had come and taken him were nowhere to be seen, but they would be coming for him soon. They would see how worthless and freaky he was and send him back to 'Master' Potter. The chains around his feet were gone, giving him a freedom that he had never experienced since he was very young.

The door creaked open revealing the blond haired man that had entered his room. As the man approached Dalen allowed himself to lie limply on the bed. His eyes followed him as he approached. He wanted to flinch and beg for mercy, but speaking meant fifty lashes with 'Master's' favourite whip, and denying 'master' the right to punish him meant an hour under the Cruciatus. He wanted to escape the moment, he wanted to close his eyes, but again the punishments for doing so kept him from moving. He whimpered slightly when the man reached over to touch him.

Lucius watched as the boy flinched away from him, then held very very still.  
"I'm not going to hurt you, never again. You will never again know that pain." He promised the child quietly. The warmth in his voice kept Dalen from panicking completely. Though he could still see the fear the twelve year-old held, there was a faint glimpse of curiosity, before it was masked quickly under the blank, lifeless eyes.

Lucius carefully grew closer, Dalen shuddered as he reached out his hands to touch the bandages that wrapped tightly around Dalens chest and stomach.  
"I am just going to check the bandages child. Nothing more." Again, Dalens eyes filled with confusion. Won't hurt me? He thought, not understanding what the man meant.

A few minutes later Lucius left the boys room. His hands were filled with bloodstained bandages.  
"He is awake and confused. I don't think he understands that I could never hurt him. Merlin Sev, the boy was trying desperately not to flinch because he thought I would get angry. I will kill James Potter, I will see him to hell." Lucius growled as he disposed of the blood covered bandages. Severus nodded silently along beside him as he ranted.  
"The Dark Lord wants to see him soon. I can't keep everyone away forever. Albus also needs to know, if he didn't already. With his influence he probably did." Lucius shuddered at the thought of the grandfatherly old man doing something do cruel to a child. Severus looked anxiously back at the door that held his godson. Lucius could see that the man missed the boy terribly.  
"Well, I will be off to Hogwarts. Inform me of his progress." With that Severus fled across the hall towards the main room. Lucius suddenly realized that his best friend had bandied him to tell the Dark Lord of his sons fate.  
~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

"Lilly, what happened to Harry?" Lilly looked up at Albus, her confusion written all over her face.  
"Harry? Who's Harry?" She asked.  
"Your youngest son. You know Harry, he had problems breathing so you left him at the hospital until he was strong enough to be brought home, which you did five days later." Lilly only shook her he'd at the Headmaster, unsure of what she should say. Albus reached out with his mind and poked a little. The memory barrier he was met with crumbled down at the smallest tap.

**Flashback**

"No not my baby, please not Harry. Not Harry!" Lilly pleaded, James stood firm while Sirius held his struggling wife back.  
"If I had had any common sense I would have killed the baby when I took it from its mother. It isn't even human. How do you feel having kissed, loved and mothered a Death Eaters son." He sneered,  
"Just fine!"Lilly spat back at him. Disgust marring her fiery features, disgust at her husbands actions. The man picked up the little boy, his green eyes shone with confusion at his fathers actions, by its neck. James shook the four year old by his shoulders,  
"Daddy? Whats wrong Daddy? What did I do?" James snarled at the perfectly articulated sentence. His own son could hardly speak as well, Nicholas was just a couple minutes older that Harry and the two were as different as different could be for supposed twins.

"You should never have been born you disgusting creature! I should have killed you as soon as your disgusting head was out of that whores body." Sirius smacked Lilly across the faces when she true to curse James,  
"He was an innocent child James. How could you? _How could you?_" Lilly shrieked as her husband dragged her youngest by his hair to the basement doors. The face of her beloved Harry began shimmering, and her green eyes darkened and turned to a startling red,  
"Now you see this creature for what it really is. You know what to do Siri."  
"_Obliviate_"  
"Mummy!"  
_Harry? Har_-... ...

**End flashback**

Lilly lay in a crumpled heap. Albus sat pale faced and horrified at what the two men had done. The child had been four years old. Harry had been four. The boy had spent eight years being thought of as dead, when he was very much alive... and Albus had been very much lied to. In fact, so had Remus.  
"Master Headmaster Dumbledore Sir?" A house elf squeezed as it popped into the room, "Master Snape sir be waiting in yours roomses sir." Albus nodded blankly.  
"Tell him I will be there in am minute." He was dazed, confused and couldn't understand why the two former Gryffendore's had done what they had. Perhaps Severus had a few answers, yes maybe he did.  
~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

Draco understood that not all children were as lucky as he was. He knew that. He also knew that one of those unfortunate children was taking up residency in one of the unused rooms in Malfoy Manor. He had heard his father and Uncle Severus discussing it as they made their way through to the dining room. His mother had apparently healed the child's injuries and Uncle Sev had refused to leave the boys side. Father had been in a rage ever since that last raid. Uncle Tom hadn't visited since the child had been brought to the manor, but he would be coming tonight.

Draco had grown up quite a bit in his first year at Hogwarts. Nicholas Potter was everything he had imagined him to be and worse (The arrogant pig could hardly sit on a broom without it tipping over). Draco had tried to be civil. The Dark Lord had not banned the Blood Traitors and rebels from Hogwarts as it meant he could keep track of them, only the Potters had been foolish enough to enrol their son there.

Though Draco had grown up, he was still a child and his parents still treated him like one. Which was probably why Father kept shooting Mother discreet glances and silent communication. Draco was just glad the Uncle Sev was not here to witness it. He would have been exasperated with the two. Draco was just about to ask the brooding adults if he could be excused from the table when his father finally spoke up.  
"Marvovlo, there is something I desperately need to tell you. However, you should probably be sitting somewhere comfortable... And have a bottle of Firewhiskey nearby. Let us retire to the sitting room. Draco, why don't you go finish your homework?"  
"Yes father" Draco answered dutifully, though he was disappointed he left nonetheless. As he retreated his thoughts mulled over the strange behaviour of his father and mother Nd the mysterious boy that had been hidden in one of the rooms. It was because of his wandering mind that he took a wrong turn and ended up in front of a room he had never seen before. Draco debated turning back, but his curiosity led him forwards. He was met with a pair of startling red eyes.  
~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

Lucius led his longtime friend to his sitting room. The man was confused, as he was right to be. He directed the man to the armchair beside the fire and offered him a glass of Ogden's Best', then he took his own place by the fire and began to talk.

"Tom, I'm sure you remember Marian, right?" At his friends jerky nod he continued, "when she was taken, seven months pregnant, another woman was also along seven months at the same time. She was expecting twins, but one was dead inside her body. Her husband knew this but tried to spare his wife her grief and did not tell her. When the twins were due, the husband had the nurse bribed not to tell a soul that one was dead. Conveniently, one of his prisoners was also due to have a child. The nurse took the stillborn and told the woman that her child was having breathing problems and took the baby to be watched.  
"Two days later, James Potters prisoner had given birth and died in the process. He took the child and replaced it with the stillborn. His wife went home with the promised twins, and the corpse of the mother that had given her life for the child to live was left in a ditch for the father to find not a week later, the body mutilated. The other father went on believing that his wife had been tortured to death and miscarried. Never knowing that his child was in fact a very alive little boy, with his shocking red eyes, and the ink black hair of his mother.  
"Years passed, and the Wizarding world fell to the childless man, the grief overcoming everything else. Only the mans goal of a better future kept him sane. Once the world fell, he retreated and rested until the birth of his godson. Then three weeks ago, the soldiers of the grieving ruler found the man that had given his wife a twin for her child. The man revealed that not only was the child he had stolen still alive, but was living in his own personal hell. The ruler ordered his faithful Death Eaters to find the boy that had been hidden away beneath Godrics hollow, and sure enough they found the boy. But were surprised to find themselves staring at the red eyes of their king instead of the green eyes of the supposed mother. Not only were the two Death Eaters shocked to find what should have been a twelve-year old boy, when in fact he looked almost seven, but that the boy believed himself to be called creature.  
"I carried the boy home my lord. His injuries were many, and his mind was terribly scarred by pain and fear. Narcissa healed him as best as she could, but we don't really know how the child will react when placed in a different situation that exposes him to other people than the ones who hurt him. However, my lord. Under all his injuries and scars, we found your son Dalen. Dalen is alive my lord, he is alive." Tom was left speechless. His mind working impossibly fast. Then he jerked out of his chair, murderous rage engulfed his face.  
"Who took my son Lucius? who tortured **_my son_** Lucius? **_WHO_**?!"

"James Potter."

**A/N: I hope you lot enjoyed this. Thank you to all my reviewers, and those that followed and favourited my story. This is a great start to this experience for me.  
Now to anyone who is a bit confused, Dalen is I fact Harry. James hated seeing how good Harry was and decided to remove him from the equation, he obliviated Lilly to make her forget Harry, but was ignorant and arrogant, so he did not obliviate anyone else.**

**Next chapter:** a confrontation between a godfather and a grandfather, Draco meets his mystery child, and a bit of Potter torture.


	3. Chapter 3: Revelations

Chapter 3: Revelations

**A/N: so I have had two people review me saying this fic makes no sense in terms of James obliviating Lily, if you would read my frigging authors notes it would make a bit more sense! Also how Harry/Dalen could not have red eyes because it was due to Tommies messing around with dark powers he got the red eyes. Keep in mind that this... is a FANFICTION! Irrational shit like this happens all. The. Time! Plus I actually do have a reason for giving him red eyes. So please bare with me.  
Thank you for allowing me to rant and I apologize.  
Enjoy!**

Draco gaped. His mouth hung open like a dead fish. Those twin red eyes seemingly stared into his soul almost unblinkingly. What really jarred his mind and heart was the unmistakable, unbelievable and unquestionable terror that the eyes held.  
"Father is going to kill me." Draco whispered. The statement only made the boy on the bed curl into himself further. His eyes screwing shut. Draco stood in the doorway of the room, struck dumb at the sight of the cowering child, before stepping into action. He approached the child on the bed slowly, like he would a wounded animal.  
"Hey, hey. It's alright. I wouldn't hurt you. Ever. I heard that you were here from father. He just didn't tell me where you were. I think he would have introduced us. Eventually." Draco sat casually on the end of the bed, keeping just out of reach of the boy. "Did you know that father and uncle Sev were crying when they brought you? Uncle Sev never cries, ever. Father doesn't really cry either." As the two spoke Dalen inched closer towards Draco until he was sitting right beside him. Then, ever so slowly, Dalen allowed the blond boy to pull him onto his lap, and wrap his arms around Dalens thin frame. The boy still shook in fear and uncertainty, and he didn't relax, but he buried his face in the crook of Draco's neck and allowed himself to cry.

~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

James sat in his small dingy cell, he had been there for months. He saw the door to the dungeons creak open and heard the light footsteps of the Death Eater that brought his food. A smirk formed on his face. Today was the day, today he would break free and expose the identity of all the Death Eaters to the rebels. He would be regained as a hero throughout the entire world, he would become known as the man who freed the world from the dark wizards.  
His smirk melted off as soon as he saw who was coming down the stairs. He scowled,  
"Malfoy. You're my new nurse maid? Or have you come to talk to me about the Freak?" Lucius didn't allow any emotion to slip through his mask. He simply lazily lifted his wand and whispered "crucio" James writhed on the floor, his face a mask of twisted agony. One minute, two minutes, three minutes.  
"Please...please stop." He hissed brokenly.  
"Did you stop when he begged you! Did you stop when he screamed and cried for mercy? Or did you laugh? Laugh and continue as he writhed beneath your hands in pain. If you can even imagine the amount of pain you put him through,_ then your barely even trying!" _  
"Enough Lucius. His pain is worthless if he can't even understand why he is being punished anymore." Morvolo murmured, not really concerned. Potter could be insane and not even remember that he was a 'light' wizard for all he cared. Just as long as he remembered what he did to Dalen.  
"You James Potter, are going to suffer. Suffer exactly the same way Dalen did. Exactly the same way. You will feel everything you put him through, every second of it." Voldemort hissed. James stared wide eyed, then his eyes rolled back and he screamed, long and hard, as he was forced to endure three extremely powerful and angry dark wizards cruciatus.  
Malfoy is going to pay for this.

~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

Severus stood in front of the window in Albus's office, his usually pale face was whiter than normal and he was worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. Albus calmly approached the young man he had wronged so long ago.  
"What message does Tom have for me Severus?" He asked in a low and very tired voice. The memory of what he had seen inside Lilly's head haunted him.  
"Did you know?" Severus asked, his voice low and dangerous. He was nearly trembling with the force it took to restrain himself from attacking the old headmaster.  
"No, I did not known. And if I had, it would not have continued. In fact. I only found out through Lilly just now." At the thought of his old friend being involved with Dalen's torture Severus's heart jolted painfully.  
"Lilly knew?"  
"No! No. Dear merlin no. She was horrified when she saw what James hand done to her. Horrified!" Albus's quickly protested. His voice rising. A sigh of relief went through Severus as he heard Albus, at least Lilly has not changed, he though to himself. So Lilly had not known, Potter had obliviated her. He and Black were only doing more damage than they had originally intended.  
"If Lilly was obliviated Severus, do you think that maybe Nick was as well?" Severus softly pondered the possibility of that situation before nodding. Yes it would make a bit of sense. Nicholas would have remembered his brother Harry and probably would have gotten into his fathers makeshift dungeon as he grew up, after all children were curious beings and would get into anything they thought of as an adventure.  
"Bring Lilly and Nicholas here. I want to test their minds, see if Potter tampered any further." Albus nodded his head, he did not miss the slight threat in the dour mans voice should James have indeed tampered further. He headed over to the fireplace and quickly fire called Lilly. After a couple of minutes she stepped through. Nicholas clutching her hand.  
"Severus," Lilly nodded tersely, she had never truly forgiven him for calling her a mudblood and for supporting the Dark Lord, but currently Severus couldn't give a damn. All he cared about was finding out what Potter had done to his Godson.  
"Lilly. Would grant me permission to check if Nicholas has had his mind tampered with. I will not go any further than in search of what he may have seen concerning Dalen. Believe me, I only want to know what Potter did to my godson." After a moments hesitation Lilly nodded slowly, granting her permission. Severus slipped carefully into Nicholas's mind, searching for any hint of a memory block. There! He quickly barged into it and let the memories flow through him.

_Dalen was curled in a ball sobbing quietly, his body was covered in bruises and lacerations. James Potter stood above him, a bloody belt clutched in his hand and a sadistic smile on his face.  
"If you want it, your going to have to beg." Dalen shuddered and lifted his tear stained face, desperation written clearly on his features.  
"W...wat...water. Please, please I need water." He stuttered, his eyes slowly sinking from red to brown. Desperation clouding his face, big, fat tears dripping down his face.  
"Water? That's what you want? Just some water. Not some food to fill your empty stomach? Fine. But that's all your getting for the rest of the month. Water, and maybe some bread if I feel overwhelmed with generosity. Now, beg." Dalen crawled forwards slowly until he was just an arms length short of touching Potter.  
"Please sir. Just a sip of water, just a little, please sir!" Dalen was balling, crying. Just begging for a glass of water. The only thing that would grant him sustenance for a month. It hurt to even watch as his lips cracked and blood trickled out over his chin. Nicholas watched as his father shot a jet of water at the boy prostrated at his fathers feet he too was crying as the boy choked and sobbed as he tried to catch his breath, before swarming over the water like a rat to cheese.  
"Father?" James jerked his head to his son. His wand following quickly after,  
"Obliviate" _  
Dalens pure desperation for even a drop of water had been so overwhelming that Severus could hardly push himself to watch anymore. He left that memory as quickly as he could. Determined to fly through as many as he could before he simply couldn't watch anymore.

_The cell was darker than the previous memory, but that gave Severus no comfort. Especially the silence. The silence was also disconcerting. As he looked around the dungeon he saw blood coating the walls and instruments of torture scattered all over. Severus looked closer at the open door of the cell. He could see Nicholas Potter kneeling next to a bundle of dirty blankets that obviously covered the emaciated body of his godson. Nicholas was speaking quietly to Dalen, his soft boyish voice was soothing and was keeping Dalen calm.  
"If I can talk to father, maybe he'll let you play with me." Dalen whimpered and curled further into himself at the mention of 'play'. Making Severus' blood boil. A crash came from just beneath the stairs, James Potter had dropped the box he was carrying in shock.  
"Get away from that filthy creature! Get away from it!" The man pulled Nicholas away forcefully and pushed him up against the wall.  
"Obliviate..."_ As the next memory began with a cry of pain, Severus separated from Nicholas's mind,

Severus cried out as he stumbled out of the sea of memories. Tears were running down his face and he was shaking in horror, Nicholas had thrown up as soon as Severus had left his mind. He too was shaking and crying uncontrollably.  
"Dad tortured him, he treated him really bad. He was always in pain and Dad never really fed him. Why did he do that to Harry? I... I may have fought with him a lot but I never wanted him to leave. I never wanted that. Not ever." The boy cried as his mother gently rocked him backwards and forwards in comfort. Nicholas had obviously remembered little traces of Harry even after his obliviations. That was why he had constantly visited his imprisoned brother.  
"James was full of hatred and fear. He couldn't understand that Dark did not always equal evil. He hated the fact that Dalen was maturing at a faster rate than you and he also feared that." Albus explained.  
"I need to get back home." Severus murmured softly before disappearing down the stone gargoyle.

~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

Lucius stood in the doorway of Dalens room, just watching Draco rock the sleeping boy gently. Though he was only eleven Draco was definitely handling this better than Lucius had thought he would have. Draco felt his fathers presence and turned to face him, momentarily upsetting Dalens position. As the tiny boys looked up from beneath his curtain of hair, instead of red eyes, brown ones were peeking out at him, but the fear overcame his expression and the brown faded to the red. _So his eye colour is controlled through strong negative emotion like fear or pain,_ Lucius thought to himself. Sighing he slowly approached both children on the bed.  
"Dalen, there is someone I would like you to meet." Immediately Dalen cowered back, leaning both backwards to avoid a blow and forwards in submission. A high keening noise came up from his throat. Lucius closed his eyes in revulsion of what Potter had done to his lords son.

"Dalen... What has that bastard done to you," the cowering child's head jerked up to look at the tall figure, he knew that voice.

**A/N: sorry about that little cliffhanger, and how long it took for me to update. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you know who you are, and another thank you to everyone who favourited and followed. This is my first major success in the hp fandoms world, and I am very grateful. So please give your reviews and thank you. (Please keep in mind that I have a whole lot of crazy things planned for this fanfic, so please take that into consideration if you find a 'mistake')  
DNStalker**


	4. Chapter 4: Reunion

Chapter 4: Reunion

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, story, or settings, but if I did I can guarantee you the series would have ended differently. **

"Dalen... What has that bastard done to you," the cowering child's head jerked up to look at the tall figure, he knew that voice. Dalen stared open mouthed at the man, his mind working furiously, and his mouth moving silently, trying to say something. Then he found the word, the single word that had been denied him for so long.

"Daddy."

~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

Marvolo hissed, James had forced his child so far into his mind that he hadn't developed further than a four or five year old. However he pushed his anger and pain aside, preferring to see his child for the first time. He didn't know the boy in the slightest, all he knew was that the boy was his Dalen. The name he and his wife had decided on before the kidnapping. He had argued against it, but now he couldn't bring himself to change the name of the child his wife had no doubt died to protect.

Desperately he looked over the tiny child's figure immediately noting all of his features and his beloved Marian's. Dalen had his nose and his face. His hands were his as well, however, Dalens eyes were his Marian's chocolate brown. As was his hair and his tiny stature, though that was probably contributed to the starvation he had endured. Marvolo gazed fondly at his two children, his son and godson, he was happy he finally had both with him. He would pay whatever it would cost to help his child, whatever the cost.

~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

Draco gaped. This pitiful child was his godfathers son? Instantly he grew even more protective of the tiny boy huddled in his arms. He turned to look at Marvolo, then at his father. His open mouth drew a wet chuckle from Marvolo,

"Da" Dalen whispered again, desperation clouding his features. His arms drew up close to his chest, wringing his hands and tangling his fingers with each other. The terrified red had intensified in his eyes and Dalen fearfully lowered his head until he was staring at his knees.

Marvolo carefully approached his son, his emotions freely decorating his face. Carefully he kneeled beside the bed and reached out to touch his sons arched back, Dalen flinched violently and let loose a little whimper of fear but Marvolo did not remove his hand. He just kept his hand firmly on his child's shoulder, then after a couple of tense moments Dalens body relaxed and leaned into his fathers touch. Quietly and peacefully Dalen fell asleep on Draco's lap, his fathers hand rubbing his back.

~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

Severus stumbled through the floo, his sight blurred through his tears. He lay trembling on the floor of the receiving room for a minute or two before he was able to push himself up of the floor without feeling sick to his stomach. Without bothering to wait for Lucius to greet him, he made his way towards the dungeons, hoping that Potter was at least conscious.

"So... Snivilly has finally come to visit. Been a while since I've seen your ugly mug." James laughed, but Severus made no reply as he approached Potters cell.

"Why?" James stopped laughing, Severus' question caught him off guard. "That lousy freak made me sick the way he was always parading around like he was better than my Nick. I should have-"

"I didn't mean Dalen. I meant why obliviate Nick. You could have turned him against Dalen, you could have made him participate even. So why obliviate him?" James stopped dead. His entire body froze and his face paled.

"I didn't want him to hate me." He whispered, shame colouring his voice, "I didn't want him to be ashamed of what I had done. Especially to the person he saw as his brother for his first years." Tears began to course down James cheeks, he loved his child, loved him above the hatred for Dalen. It became obvious that James would rather die than have his son hate him. Severus watched the pathetic form of his school rival as he sobbed for the son he had technically abandoned. He smirked and shook his head,

"You don't deserve any better than what you gave out. You tortured my godson, you ruined his mind. My lord may hurt you physically, and my business partners will hurt you the way you didn't hurt, but I... I will hurt you mentally.

"I will give you such visions and such fear that you won't sleep, you won't eat, you will do nothing but regret the day you ever crossed me or mine. And you want to know the worst part, you won't be able to forget what you did. You won't forget my god sons face as you tortured him, as you hurt him! You won't have the luxury of death or insanity. You will wake with my name upon your lips and his screams in your ears, and his pain upon your body. Twelve years of pain and suffering. And you still have Marian's pain to pay for." Severus' spoke with the deadly passion that he regarded his potions with. He never once raised his voice, and he never once moved from his position, with his hands in his pockets and a sneer upon his face. Then James laughed, a low chuckle at first, before it became the maniac like shrieks of a man possessed.

"You think that your 'business partners' can hurt me? He, hehehe, they can't hurt me like my prisoner was hurt. "As he grew older, he made me work to hear him scream and beg for mercy! I had to make him cooperate with me because I will do anything it takes to annihilate your filth!" He shrieked in pain as Severus cursed him over and over again. Severus was horrified, James had done everything he could to cause his godson pain he was truly crazy. Severus exited the dungeons without looking back.

~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

It was four weeks after Severus had discovered Potters sadism and what his godson had suffered, but he still trembled with hatred at the mention of Potter. Marvolo had been told about Potters confession and he had been in a state of constant hatred and anger, causing the death eaters to steer clear of the furious dark lord. It was decided that Potter could not remain alive, he would be tortured and killed as a public example of what Voldemort would do to those who committed the same crimes. During the first two weeks Dalen had been quiet and utterly submissive. Several times Lucius had had to call for Marvolo when the child had suffered a flashback, or had called himself or others names, Master was one frequently used in reference to Lucius, Severus and Marvolo. He had fallen into the habit of degrading himself by calling himself Freak or Creature. It had drawn Severus to tears when he had found himself explaining to the lost child that his name was Dalen and that he was human.

Dalen spent most of his time with Draco and Marvolo in his room, but whenever he was outside of it he was in the garden on his fathers hip. His legs were growing stronger again and soon the task of relearning how to walk would be upon them, but it was something that everyone was looking forward to. Severus would sit for hours upon end with Dalen huddled in a ball beside him, asleep. Dalen had become a frequent fixture in the house. He was still silent, but he tolerated people touching him now, as long as they were gentle and were calm when they approached him. It hadn't taken long for Dalen to warm up to Marvolo, Lucius, Severus and Draco but it was still difficult for him to believe he was human. Human, and deserving of the love that was showered upon him everyday. All of those who met him vowed to protect him and keep him safe and to help heal the broken boy.

~~~~~Into the Light~~~~~

Lilly had watched Nickolas carefully after Severus had revealed the memories that her ex-husband had buried. She watched as he slowly deteriorated with the horror of what had happened to his little brother. She watched as his school work piled up and his friends slowly faded into the background. It hurt her to watch her child in pain, but it hurt her even more to know that the boy she had raised and considered a second son had been tortured viciously under the roof of her home. It was emotional pain for both her and her son. She had vowed that she would never hurt her children, and she had broken that vow. Both of her children were hurting, and one had mentally deteriorated into the mentality of a young child. Never again will you touch my children James Potter! She swore silently. Her eyes met Dumbledores, and he knew that should he ever approach either of her boys then he would suffer a pain worse than death. Unbeknownst to her, he made the same promise to both the tortured children and every child within Hogwarts.

**A/N: hey y'all. So sorry for the late update, I know I left you all waiting for this but has been a really rough week, I got a pretty bad review calling me a sadist and all that shit so I was kind of worried about this being deleted, but as you can see, still here. Anyway thanks for all the support and the reviews I am absolutely crazy about all the followers I've gotten. I am working on another story for an actual novel and a film script for my portfolio so this kind of got laid on the side, sorry again. Again thank you, and I will get the next part up when I can. Keep the reviews coming and please no flames. If you don't like, don't read it's that simple. Love you all so much, enjoy your weeks.**


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